Workplace Culture: Improving the Mental Health of Employees

In a world where longer working hours, increased workloads and excessive pressure are the new normal, working professionals are struggling with their mental and emotional well-being.

Conversations around depression and anxiety in the workplace are starting to arise, especially as 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress.

Work-related stress is responsible for around 190,000 deaths each year, costing $190 billion in healthcare. For business owners, the detrimental effect is disengaged and unmotivated employees, in addition to losing money due to absent employees. 

So, what can be done to improve mental health in the workplace for a happier and healthier culture? Discussing mental health in the workplace, promoting a healthy work/life balance, and providing in-house mental health workshops are just a few methods used to improve the mental health of employees. However, these are not tailored to an individual’s symptoms. 

As we are surrounded by a surplus of technology on a daily basis, new solutions are now available. You may be familiar with virtual reality being a way for gamers and teenagers to entertain themselves for hours on end. However, VR has entered a new realm of functionality, proving a cost-effective solution for improving mental health for professionals.

First, let’s take a deeper look at mental health in the workplace.

Mental Health in the Workplace 

Around 60% of Americans are currently employed in the U.S. labor force, suggesting that society depends on people having a stable career. Unfortunately, employees are losing many workdays due to the high reporting of mental health symptoms.

Poor mental health makes completing physical tasks and managing cognitive performance difficult. Social interactions and communication with team members become an uphill battle, and even those in managerial roles can succumb to the pressure that affects their ability to lead a team. With a healthier mind, employees are 6 times more engaged, and are less likely to make mistakes at work – those with mental health issues are 60% more likely to make mistakes in the workplace.

Almost two out of three people suffering from depression don’t seek treatment, and 50% of unsuccessful treatment is due to fears of addiction to prescription drugs, financial aspects, or short term improvements which make patients believe they don’t require treatment anymore.

Depression and health cost the economy $1 trillion in lost productivity. Not only does mental health have a negative effect on worker and company morale but it also takes a pretty big chunk of money out of the US economy, including businesses.

A solution to improving mental health centers around new developments in virtual reality. This option is a more affordable and accessible option for therapeutic support, and it provides employees with a familiar and socially accepted form of treatment in using technology. 

How Virtual Reality is Innovating Mental Health Treatment

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that uses computer-simulated experiences to enable people to encounter a digitally created environment. This simulation is delivered via the use of a head-mounted display (HMD) that projects 3D visuals based on user behavior.

Historically, virtual reality is not a new treatment in the mental health sector. Previous studies dating back to the 1990s have shown successful results when applying VR to cases of patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Virtual reality even helped to treat September 11 burn victims suffering from PTSD.

Today’s software is more focused on combining VR technology with a treatment called exposure therapy. This behavioral technique aims to help people confront their fears by exposing them to stressors in a controlled environment. A psychotherapist is then able to guide the patient through the traumatic scenario while simultaneously retraining their emotional and physical responses to triggers.

Clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of VR for use in cases of mental health conditions, including phobias and anxiety.

In a study conducted by clinical psychologist Barbara Rothbaum at Emory University, subjects were exposed to their fear of heights via VR experiences of bridges, balconies, and rides on glass elevators. The results revealed that participants demonstrated a significant decrease in height-phobia after seven weeks of treatment. Unlike other treatments, virtual reality enables individuals to reconfigure their fear cues (linked to our fight-or-flight system) through safer measures.

VR can also help individuals struggling with an anxiety disorder; a mental health condition that affects approximately 40 million adults in the U.S. Companies are optimizing virtual reality treatment to provide experiences that induce relaxation and calmness through meditation and other mindfulness techniques. Apps like these have the potential to become quicker solutions for treating phobias and conditions, from public speaking to everyday stress. 

Virtual reality has a promising future in the mental health field thanks to its ability to collaborate seamlessly with pre-existing techniques, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Utilizing socially preferred technology could also be a turning point for revolutionizing the stigma around mental health in general.

Make VR Work for You 

As technology is already heavily integrated into our society, using VR as a solution for improving mental well-being in the workplace can yield successful results in enhancing a positive environment. 

Promoting mental health awareness and treatment for employees creates a healthy work-life balance, especially for those who may be suffering from a mental health condition. 

While virtual reality is a cost-effective solution for employers to utilize, the familiarity of technology and user-friendly approach can help to treat those in distress. 

For an innovative solution to improve the mental health of your employees, discover more about Presence: the immersive solution.